Knee replacement?
- Thread starter Macnucator
- Start date
kenbro
Well-Known Member
Friend of mine had a full knee about 20 years ago.
The operation site got infected and he spent several weeks/months back and forwards to hospital. Eventually it healed but he was never pain free and In the end they had to replace the joint.
He still has some pain (Easily managed) and walks with a pronounced limp. He’s 86 now.
For both replacement operations he chose a spinal injection because he was frightened of being put to sleep.
So they played music to him through headphones whilst doing the butchery.
He regrets having it done.
I suppose things have improved in many areas since his first op.
KB.
Ps. This was carried out by BUPA.
The operation site got infected and he spent several weeks/months back and forwards to hospital. Eventually it healed but he was never pain free and In the end they had to replace the joint.
He still has some pain (Easily managed) and walks with a pronounced limp. He’s 86 now.
For both replacement operations he chose a spinal injection because he was frightened of being put to sleep.
So they played music to him through headphones whilst doing the butchery.
He regrets having it done.
I suppose things have improved in many areas since his first op.
KB.
Ps. This was carried out by BUPA.
Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
She can go up our stairs slowly but going down them I have to be in front of her as a catcher which has so far never happened but she is nervous. She has had both hips done in 1988 & 2013 then the other knee was replaced in 2023 which she was just getting to be ok with, and this fall happened so we start all over again. She has a walker in carbon fibre not cheap on each floor of the house plus another heavy duty one in the conservatory with pneumatic tyres for street walking for later which we had used on the first knee, plus there is a good exercise bike in the living room which she is beginning to use. She gets twice per week physio treatment for an hour in the town nearby on the health care insurance we pay a pittance towards it which is a ballbreaker for me as I am just sitting around I function as the taxi/shopper too. Hunting has totally gone out of the window.
Ho hum.
I had my full left knee done a few years ago TKR. No residual pain. I can squat, kneel and put socks on while standing and drag deer up and down the Ettrick hills.
Choice of surgeon is the most important factor, I was lucky, mine worked for the NHS in Sunderland.
Next in order of importance is the post operative stretching and exercise. This is where it tends to go wrong.
If you are not capable of exercising to the level where it is painful, you WILL NOT do it when your knee has been replaced. Read this a few times.
The stretching, usually in the form of squatting, is VERY painful to start with.
Most people will stop anything if it is painful. They will also stop the stretching the second it starts to hurt. "I'll do it when the pain has gone"
The pain during stretching only 'goes' if you can squat down completely with you heels on the floor.
In the worst case scenario, they end up with a knee that will only bend a few degrees. These are the people that complain about 'The Pain'.
Use a soft seat or stool, put a TV program or music on that you like. Sit on the edge of the chair with your leg bent as much as possible.
Slid yourself forward against the knee that tells you you can't go any further while you keep your foot still. Listen to or watch the distraction.
The knee will appear to be completely frozen or locked, this is normal, but not true.
Start with five minutes of unbearable pain and try to increase it every day.
Choice of surgeon is the most important factor, I was lucky, mine worked for the NHS in Sunderland.
Next in order of importance is the post operative stretching and exercise. This is where it tends to go wrong.
If you are not capable of exercising to the level where it is painful, you WILL NOT do it when your knee has been replaced. Read this a few times.
The stretching, usually in the form of squatting, is VERY painful to start with.
Most people will stop anything if it is painful. They will also stop the stretching the second it starts to hurt. "I'll do it when the pain has gone"
The pain during stretching only 'goes' if you can squat down completely with you heels on the floor.
In the worst case scenario, they end up with a knee that will only bend a few degrees. These are the people that complain about 'The Pain'.
Use a soft seat or stool, put a TV program or music on that you like. Sit on the edge of the chair with your leg bent as much as possible.
Slid yourself forward against the knee that tells you you can't go any further while you keep your foot still. Listen to or watch the distraction.
The knee will appear to be completely frozen or locked, this is normal, but not true.
Start with five minutes of unbearable pain and try to increase it every day.
paulbshooting
Well-Known Member
Had friends who had 1/2 or full knees.
All went well and said physio and doing the exercises at home were key to a full and quick recovery.
A friend has just had the new knee injection in both knees to try to avoid surgery. Its a new treatment option in the UK.
All went well and said physio and doing the exercises at home were key to a full and quick recovery.
A friend has just had the new knee injection in both knees to try to avoid surgery. Its a new treatment option in the UK.
sako751sg
Well-Known Member
Had a total done 3 years ago last month and has been a great success.
Pain was off the scale for the first fortnight or so but probably wasn't helped by what i carried on doing but after that there was light at the end of the tunnel so mentally it helped loads.
Do all your exercises pre and post op and it really is no pain no gain.
Was told that with my job i would need a minimum of 4 months off but i went back as soon as 2 was up and tried to be canny although was lifting some heavy loads and all went well but if you can don't rush it.
Had 6 or 7 ops on it in the last 30 years and went from excruciating daily pain and living on Tramadol to pretty much pain free and life so much better.
Only one person i know personally that had a bad experience and i put that down to him being a lazy **** post op and knowing better than everyone else.
I was out daily after the first week with one crutch carrying feed bags in deep snow which in hindsight was stupid but think it did help the rehab greatly but be prepared for pain that you possibly have never encountered before.
Pain was off the scale for the first fortnight or so but probably wasn't helped by what i carried on doing but after that there was light at the end of the tunnel so mentally it helped loads.
Do all your exercises pre and post op and it really is no pain no gain.
Was told that with my job i would need a minimum of 4 months off but i went back as soon as 2 was up and tried to be canny although was lifting some heavy loads and all went well but if you can don't rush it.
Had 6 or 7 ops on it in the last 30 years and went from excruciating daily pain and living on Tramadol to pretty much pain free and life so much better.
Only one person i know personally that had a bad experience and i put that down to him being a lazy **** post op and knowing better than everyone else.
I was out daily after the first week with one crutch carrying feed bags in deep snow which in hindsight was stupid but think it did help the rehab greatly but be prepared for pain that you possibly have never encountered before.
6mmarc
Well-Known Member
ive been back on the codine snd tramadol for years again now all they do is numb the pain its still there just but it’s bearable enough to get on with life
sako751sg
Well-Known Member
Aye,was a godsend for the 6 years i was Tramadol.
Was told i could get the op when i was 47ish as it was that bad but kept going until 53 and was only possible with the painkillers.
Will also add the missus was brutal with my rehab and always went that extra degree or two when she was told to stop which helped going places where i could go but didn't really want to.
Martiniblack577
Well-Known Member
My Apols. So you will need to self inject a blood thinner for 30 days. Preferably into a pinched inch of abdomen/belly fat. There is no need with a subcutaneous to go deep; if you do you bruise terribly and it hurts after a few days as you and up injecting at the site of a bruise aka haematoma. Stay off sugar- it thickens the blood. Drink lots of water. Be religious with the exercises or it gets a wasted enterprise. Any other issues, PM me - am happy to advise.Total hip, non cemented ceramic/polypropylene.
I'll have get up to speed on these terms "subcutting" and "deltaparin"
bottletopbill
Well-Known Member
I had injections in my knee and that doctor said my knee was getting better,
Three months later total knee replacement done. Surgeon said it was a hard one to do.
Did not like the injecting bit bloody staples hurt had to go to hospital to have a few removed
My consultant said from now on my knee was his. I must do as he and the physio says.
As he is the one having to put it right.
Like its been said in previous posts.
Exercise ,fight through the pain, those leg stretches ,lifts etc are needed to get a straight leg.
My ex mother in law had hers done in end of December. She had staples in hers and was in a lot of pain to start with. They glued mine no stich either end as the district nurse was trying to find them
As he is the one having to put it right.
Like its been said in previous posts.
Exercise ,fight through the pain, those leg stretches ,lifts etc are needed to get a straight leg.
My ex mother in law had hers done in end of December. She had staples in hers and was in a lot of pain to start with. They glued mine no stich either end as the district nurse was trying to find them
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
SikaSeeker
Well-Known Member
I’ve not had a TKR, but I’m an orthopaedic nurse and look after patients pre and post operatively.
Every patient is different, lots of variables. How’s your mobility and weight pre op, your age(the younger you are, the worse it can be pain wise), how well you do your PT. This is huge, the more flexion and extension you put in to your new knee the better, not good at the time but it’ll pay off in the long run.
There’s also a unicondylar, it’s basically half a knee replacement, it might be all you need. Quicker recovery in general.
Every patient is different, lots of variables. How’s your mobility and weight pre op, your age(the younger you are, the worse it can be pain wise), how well you do your PT. This is huge, the more flexion and extension you put in to your new knee the better, not good at the time but it’ll pay off in the long run.
There’s also a unicondylar, it’s basically half a knee replacement, it might be all you need. Quicker recovery in general.
I imagine the chaffing is horrendous.
SikaSeeker
Well-Known Member
May I ask, did you have a drain in for the first 24hrs?
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